Housing benefit challenge dismissed by High Court

Anyone who regrets the disabled benefit system here seems to be slightly selfish in their thinking and taking a risk in one way. Not one of us can say for certain "I am not going to get ill, suffer an accident or a loved one won't suddenly suffer one of these disasters. We are all vulnerable and will need these services during our lifetimes.

This focussing on the disabled is spiteful because they are genuinely assessed as disabled and need the facilities.

The spare room tax is due to deliberate government policy. Our Government directed councils to allow high density, squat holes for flats and houses. In this particular type of housing, in some homes there is not the room to swing a cat. The kitchen-ettes are condensed into the lounges and so if a carer is needed to stay overnight with a vulnerable person there is hardly any room and the disruption is huge, if you have a disabled person who cannot manoeuvre easily in a tiny space and you clutter that space you risk injury and costly hospital time. You won't save money with this type of shortsighted 'save a buck' policy. Its also housing no MP would ever live in plus the Planning Officer in my council said this policy had been a disaster and they had changed it.

There is also nowhere for storage inside or outside so things like scooters etc, which are a lifeline to someone wanting to live as independently as they can, need a second tiny room for storing necessary equipment, keeping it clean and small maintenance jobs done to it. Again, the insurance and replacement of equipment such as this if left outside, outweight some pifling tiny amount saved from the Council Tax. If this takes that independent living away then the cost of housing disabled people in homes far outweighs any saving on the second bedroom. (where it is genuinely needed)

I do think as everything is means tested today the spare room for genuinely space-starved disabled people is essential and could be means tested. Lets face it we have enough unemployed who could make a fair assessment of someone's living accommodation - so I don't see it as a problem.

I also have a nasty taste in my mouth about being governed by people who have never faced hardship and seem utterly removed and unaware of the ordinary lives of the people they govern. This is patently obvious by the way money is always available for the wealthy and protection of their overseas investments but unavailable for the infrastructure and needs of the people of this country.

Its not the section of the Welfare bill covering the disabled that needs rethinking its the spending our government does: outside this country, the corrupt industries that they aid and also the focus and protection of a small hidden upper class system that drinks public money. instead of using and risking its own money.

reply to post by christafinias

If only you knew my life you'd feel such the fool....trust me i've known hardship, I left a £1500 pound a month job at 21 to train as a engineer (young girl in a mans world), living on £40 per week.....£40!! true I lived with my parent but I still had financial commitments. i did this as I knew lay off's where coming and if i wanted more out of life I had to give more.

You weren't living in hardship because you lived with your parents and they would have had to pick up the slack that you couldn't pay. Your share of living costs would be more than £40 a week taking everything into account, and you had financial commitments too. Thank goodness for parents eh?

What would you have done if you didn't have any parents to fall back on? You would have HAD to claim housing and other benefits to survive and keep a roof over your head and a bit of food on the table, and rightly so too because the law says you would be entitled to it just as the people today are entitled to their claims.

So no, I don't think living off parents is 'hardship'.

But credit where credit's due - absolutely well done for getting yourself qualified for a better job, and I wish you all the best in your new career

Originally posted by paraphi

Originally posted by Sk8ergrl
Why should the disabled and sick people be penalised now after so many years just because they have a spare room?

They are not. Disabled people get extra additional assistance. This habit of citing “human rights” at every turn is distasteful. In my opinion, this case is just a crass attempt to use the disabled to make a political point and that’s rather sad. I am pleased that the legal process has resulted in common sense prevailing, although the High Court did criticise the policy on a number of counts, which the Government has said they will review.

The fact is that people who require big houses get them paid for by the State. If a family of ten arrives at the local Council offices they are moved into a house that can keep them all together. When the kids leave, the parents are allowed to sit in that large house at the cost of the tax payer. That’s frankly unfair, but they don’t care because there is no incentive for them to move.

All the so called “bedroom tax” is doing is paying less cash to people who sit in properties paid for by the tax payer, where the property is bigger than their needs. It is supposed to incentivise these people to downsize, thus releasing these properties to people who need them. They will still receive State aid and still get to live quite nicely, thank you very much.

Housing benefit costs the UK tax payer over £20 billion. Anything that can be done to reduce the costs while preserving the need to help people live in a house is a good idea.

Regards

edit on 31/7/2013 by paraphi because: (no reason given)

I was given a 2 bedroom maisonette back n 2003 and now I have to pay spare room tax. Why should I be penalised if they offered me the 2 bed flat which is not safe for children as its top floor.

The government wanted the tax payers to attack the people on benefits so it would take the heat off themselves. They get everything tax free and also we pay for them. So don't attack the people on benefits, attack the mp's that keep taking from your salaries. Also yes the royal families have more than one room and I bet that they don't have to pay the spare room tax. Its a damn right attack on poor people and that is discrimination

Edit: Also they should stop the businesses of the corporations that have not paid their tax and then the NHS and services will be better off. If these corporations pay their tax like we have to then we wouldn't be in this mess.

Originally posted by Soloprotocol
Here's something to consider when talking about this new Bedroom Tax.

Why should a Single parent who has split from his/her partner but don't have a hold of the Child benefit book but has his/her children over to stay 3/4 night a week be asked to pay Under occupancy for a spare bedroom when it's clearly not the case the bedroom/s are lying empty.

Why would someone who may have stayed in the same home for 30+ years, maybe scattered their husbands/wifes ashes in the Garden, spent thousand of £££ maintaining someone else's property, made lifelong friends with their neighbours and have close family and support systems close at hand be turfed from that home...This is the 21st century in the UK, not Nazi Germany of the 30's

I seriously dont understand anyone who can agree with this bedroom tax..oh wait, i can...Jealousy, Plain and simple. What state must your petty, narrow minded life be in to be Jealous of the Plate licker's of society... Just like 30 Germany, they have fallen for the Government spin. it's no more than what i expect from the weak of mind and those who cant think for themselves though...

Direct your anger elsewhere...not at the Poorest and weakest members of society...Cowards!!

BTW, when you get up in the morning, i'll be looking out from my semi closed Blinds and pointing the finger at you and laughing as you jump on the treadmill once more just so i can live a life of Luxury with my big flat screen TV and Sky Broadband on the back of your sweat and tears..
Then i will jump back under the covers to sleep off my Drug and Alcohol induced Hangover. ~George Osbourne,

edit on 31-7-2013 by Soloprotocol because: (no reason given)

edit on 31-7-2013 by Soloprotocol because: (no reason given)

You are spot on - there's a thing callled the CACI Acorn demographics which lists all the different social economic groups going from overcrowded ethnic minorities council estates to disabled people living in council homes all the way up to young graduates, middle income, and wealthy families.

www.caci.co.uk.../libraries/document/396.pdf

That's where the presently elected can earn some votes, kick the disabled out of their large homes and give them to the ethnic minorities who will then buy them up. A nice little vote earner.